Fiestas!

New friend S

Empanadas

Half way point in Chile

Hey!

So this week was crazy.  We had the 18th of September, which is Chiles Independence day, and they go pretty hardcore with their parties all week.  We had a PDay (preparation day) on the 18th and went to the beach with the zone and played soccer and football and stuff, we had a huge barbecue with an investigator, and we ate another big barbecue thing the next day.  We ate tons of empanadas and all kinds of stuff. 
As this week was so crazy and all of our investigators were out of town, we worked a lot with less- active members and tried to get them back to church.  We are having success with a few of them.  I'm looking forward to this week and the work we will have. 
God lives. 
Elder Peck

Hey!

Hey!

So this week went well.  Not much to report, but things went well.  we saw a "cueca" competition, which is the traditional dance of Chile. One of our investigators competed, and it was very Chilean and very cool.  We also had our day of service on Saturday.  We went and took down a house and started renovating it.

The best news is that a woman and her daughter from my last sector just got baptized! My companion Elder N and I contacted them several weeks before I left.  We taught them a few times, and he continued with them after I left.  They were baptized on Saturday and confirmed Sunday.  It was so great to hear that news and that my comp Elder N and his new comp were able to baptize them.

Also, I have been thinking a lot about families this week.  Through my own personal family experiences, I have gained much of my belief  and knowledge of the truth of the góspel. The góspel blesses families. We CAN have a happy and strong family here on earth despite the fact that the world in general is going farther and farther away from the family.  As my mom once said, the world is heading in the wrong direction, not us.  We are not swimming against the current when we support the family.  We are supporting a divinely established institution through which we are uplifted, blessed, and carried to eternal life if we respect it.  I love my family and know that families are eternal.

Elder Peck

Hey! I love the mission!

Life is good.  We are working hard here and we are improving as servants of the Lord.  My comp is awesome and we've had some great experiences.

Interesting stuff from this week: someone stole our backpacks and Elder I's camera on Sunday in the church. Didn't see who it was, but we now have to buy new backpacks, which is lame.  Whoever took them left our scriptures though, which was nice.

Also, we had Return and Report, a conference for new missionaries and their trainers.  It was really great and spiritually uplifting.

One really neat experience I had happened last week and I forgot to mention it.  I went over to the Ortegas house, a family who has a son on a mission but are not members themselves.  They had noticed that my shoes were getting a little worn out.  During the time we were there, Brother Ortega pulled me over to the side and asked me if I needed new shoes.  I told him that mine were fine and that I had another pair.  Still, he took me into another room, and had me try on some new shoes.  They fit perfect and they were nicer than mine.  He took my old broken shoes away from me and put them in a bag and didn't let me say anything and just told me not to mention it.  I was touched by his kindness and nothing I could say would make him keep the shoes he gave me.  He wouldn't even let me thank him properly.  He just said that that is what Christ would do so he had the responsibility to do it.  I love that guy and I want to be willing to provide such selfless service.  I learned that we should just act when we see a need instead of waiting for permission.  Its a form of charity, an attribute of Christ.

Thats about it for this week.  Just keep your head up, look for opportunities to serve, and focus outward. You'll be happy.
Elder Peck

This Week

Hey,

So this week went by quickly but it was really good.  Sadly we didn't have much time to work this week, as we had interviews with our mission president and a district conference (kind of like stake conference) Saturday and Sunday.

The interviews took all day because our new President is trying to get to know everyone.  The interview I had with him went really well and it was awesome getting to know him better.  Also, we had interviews with his wife, and it was great to talk with her as well.  They are definitely called of God for this mission.

Also, we had district conference, to which our mission president and his wife came.  It was awesome and I learned lots of stuff.

Interesting stuff that happened this week, a drunk 12 year old hit us and tried to attack us because we wouldn't given him money.  It was sad and kind of funny at the same time.  He whacked us a couple times and spilled some beer on us, and then picked up a board and tried to hit us.  It wasn't a big deal because he was so out of it that his reflexes were pretty off and he couldn't do much.  We found out later that the guys watching from their houses later came out and whacked him around a bit and took the kids shoes off and threw them down the hill.  Interesting experience.

Anyway, I know that God always watches over us.  He controls this work, not us nor anyone else.  I've seen that more this week as I passed through a bit of sickness and a bit of difficulties caused by ignorant people. God controls this work.  His Son directs this Church.  We have a prophet who leads and guides the Church, not with his own ideas, but by actual revelation and inspiration from our Heavenly Father.

Elder Peck